Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-05-18

Tad knew nothing about playing n
trout, and if he had it would have made
no difference, owing TO his primitive
fishing tackle. He pulled vigorously;
81 did the trout, and "snap" went the
end Of the alder pole. leaving Tad in a
mad frenzy of excitement, with three
fOurths Of the rod in his hands, dane
ing madly on the rocks
Joe was equal To the situation.
Dropping his own pole, he made n dive
for the broken fragment, which was
floating In sight. Gathering the slack
line carefully in his hands, a vigorous
tug landed high and dry the largest
trout ever caught In Mil brook.
THERE" Joe exclaimed, as Tad re-
gardcd his prize in an amazcment too
deep for words. you've caught the one
real trout you've wanted to-nuw. |
guess we'd better be getting home,
without doing any moro fishing"
"All right returned Tad, mourn
fully, "but you caught him. after all,
joe But Joe st0utly asserted that
Tad hooked him first, while he-Joc-
only helped to bring the big fish safe to
land. And, I'm the discussion Of the ex-
citing episode, the walk home was ac-
complishcd ina surprisingly short time.
TWds big trout was baked for sup
per, and il was generally agreed by the
four who partook thcreofthat the flavor
was particularly fine. Tad himself Sc
cretly thought he had never eaten any
thing so delicious in his whole life.
But IL Is not unlikely that the knowl-
edge that he himself had furnished this
Important adjunct to the evening meal
gave IL mn additional relish for Tad.
BY this time Tad had begun To feel
very much mt ease with these quiet.
homc-llke people. As they gathered
about the open Fireplace. with its
smoldcring backlog. after the tea
things were cleared away. and the big
kcroscnc-lamp was lighted. he opened
his heart to their kindly questioning
and spoke freely of his past life. There
was really little or nothing to keep
back, for, as have said. thanks TO the
memory Of his mothers teachings and
natural uprightness of character. Tad
had escaped the evil ways which
homeless, friendless hoy is So apt to fall
into. and. though he had faults in
abundance. he was, on the whole, a
moro upright young fellow than many
whose surroundings and advantages
had been far moro favorable than
Tad's.
so you're to begin ships duties 20
Miss Smith q Monday-ch. TadP" re-
marked the Captain, thoughtfully, to
break little silence which had fallen
upon the group.
yes. SIR" was the reply. land ]
do hope she'll like me-"
shell I've harl 10 suit IL she don't, -
returned Mrs. Flagg, clicking her nee.
dies emphaticaliy together rs they
flashed In and out of the mcShes of z
blue yarn sock that she was knitting
for the Captain. For the good lady
whose heart was large enough TO tax,
In ut least half dozen motherlcss boy.
aud girls. had begun to regard Tao
with considerable favor.
- know she'll like YOU" said Polly
confidently, as she looked up from tn,
fascinating pages of Little Women. y
which che was reading for the first time
while Bounce slumbered peacefully il
her lap.
"You Just 60 on and 90 your dut,
unto Miss Smith accordin' rs you',
have It done to you. Tad" remarked
the Captain. oracularly, "and yo;
needn't have no fears. Miss Smith,
continued Captain Flagg. with upraise,
finger to command attention. "is fe
male that's had tem?estuous v'y'g
In life, as it were, a-losing OF every re
lation she had. which has gone to max,
hera bitcranky; but she's good-hcartc'
and God-fearin', and once you get int,
her good books. you're always there.
"I'hey say she's got han'sum prop
crty that her folks left her-some
where's nigh ten thousan' dollars. " Mrs
Fagg observed. in voice indicative o
considerable respect for the possesso
Of such wealth. For in Bixport tn
person with an unencumbercd estat
aud n thousand dollars was ''wcll-to
do; he who had FIVE thousand was wei
OF; while the owner of ten thousan.
dollars was regarded in The light of
millionaire.
CHATTER x.
On the following morning. whel
Lad. having ononod hfa oraa n th,